September 27, 2007

Jamie Carroll Needs to Go

After it was suggested to Jamie Carroll that Stephane Dion needs a few more Quebecers in his entourage to better understand Quebec, Carroll said that in that case, they better get some Chinese people in Dion’s entourage as well.

Carroll implied that French Canadians are just another minority in Canada. In Quebec, saying anything of the sort is tantamount to political suicide. At this meeting of the executives of the Liberal Party, many of the Quebecers in the room found this to be offensive, and naturally, immediately ran to the Press, including Party President Marie Poulin.

A new poll published in Quebec recently put the Liberals 8 points behind the NDP among francophones in Quebec. Stephane Dion, the native son, is about to take his party to single digits among French Quebecers. Due to the federalist vote split in Quebec, the Bloc maintains the lead in Quebec with 31%. Stephen Harper’s Conservatives grab 27%, the Liberals take 19% and the NDP 17%.

Among francophones, the Bloc grabs 37% of the vote, the Tories get 27%, the NDP 19% and the Liberals grab 11%.

Star candidates in winnable ridings are frustrated by Dion’s dithering on choosing candidates and have abandoned ship. Of all the ridings where the Liberals had a chance at winning, only Dionistas Eleni Bakopanos and Justin Trudeau have been confirmed in Ahuntsic and Papineau respectively. Liza Frulla had to wait for Lasalle Emard, so she bowed out. Marc Garneau had to wait for Westmount, he bowed out. Paul Leduc had to wait for Brossard LaPrairie, he bowed out. What do the final three have in common, they all supported Michael Ignatieff. No surprises here, the Liberal Party is sabotaging itself. Even Jean Chretien ran Paul Martin supporters…

Now the Ottawa LPC headquarters and Mr. Carroll are threatening to stop transferring money to the LPC(Q) with a potential deadline tomorrow looming. LPC(Q) is 250 000$ in the hole, and Mr. Carroll just doesn’t care. Why should we be surprised, we all know what he thinks about Quebecers anyway…he was one of those running around telling people that Dion would be a good choice for leader because Dion could rebuild the Liberal brand in Quebec…

If the National Director truly thinks there is no problem in Quebec, believes what Dion has been doing in Quebec is the right way to go and think Stephane Dion is gonna win an election when he is polling at 11% among French Quebecers, he REALLY deserves to be fired…

Can a Liberal please explain to me why Dion is talking election? Is this just posturing or what? If you are a Liberal would you want an election now? I am sincerely interesting this. Thank you for your replies.

Allow me to ask a slightly rhetorical question... but isn't this the way Tories are supposed to act?

I mean, for goodness sakes, this is ridiculous! I didn't think it was possible for the Liberals to lose what they hadn't lost in 2006 but with Dion that might not be the case. And to think, I once thought he was a good choice... ick!

Let's be honest here, the only person that has to go is Dion. Surely as big a mistake for party leader as Stockwell Day. Bigger, actually, because we had him as an example,and we all know how that ended....

I was in Montréal during the by-election (fiasco). Whenever I had some time to kill, I approached some Montrealers and asked them point-blank about their feelings about Dion, the Liberals and the by-election.

Honest to God: not one of those montréalais had anything nice to say about Dion and the Liberals. At that point I knew that Outremont was lost.

Bill, about your question: I think it's posturing -- simple as that. Dion has already run out of steam; posturing is all he can do now. At least that way, he can save a bit of face.